XN000022-1978-08-19 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1978

INSPECTION VISIT TO PIK UK CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

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A SURPRISE INSPECTION VISIT, TO THE PIK UK CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS, WAS RECENTLY MADE BY TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE REPRESENTING THE GOVERNOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRISON RULES.

THE VISIT WAS MADE BY MR. GEORGE HO, AN UNOFFICIAL JP AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG COMMERCIAL BROADCASTING CO. LTD. AND AN OFFICIAL JP, MR. A.J. CARTER, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION.

ALL INSTITUTIONS OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT ARE VISITED AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH BY TWO JP'S, ONE OFFICIAL AND THE OTHER UN OFFICIAL. THESE VISITS ARE MADE WITHOUT PRENOTIFICATION, AND THE JP'S MAY VISIT ANY PART OF THE INSTITUTION.

THE JP'S ARE EXPECTED TO RECORD THE IR COMMENTS AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY MUST ALSO INTERVIEW ANY PRISONER OR INMATE WHO MAY APPLY FOR AN INTERVIEW DURING THE VISIT.

DURING THE RECENT TWO-HOUR VISIT BY MR. HO AND MR. CARTER, NO YOUNG INMATES APPLIED FOR INTERVIEW AND THE TWO JP'S VISITED ALL PARTS OF THE INSTITUTE, SEEING ACTIVITIES IN WORKSHOPS, CLASSROOMS AND OUTDOOR.

MR. HO, WHO HAS BEEN VISITING PRISONS DEPARTMENT INSTITUTIONS OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS AND HAS CULTIVATED A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS, AND IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EXPRESSED HIS SATISFACTION WITH THE TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS.

HE SAID: +YOUNG OFFENDERS ARE NOW GIVEN USEFUL TRAINING THAT WILL BE VALUABLE TO THEM WHEN THEY REJOIN SOCIETY, THIS IS A GREAT CHANGE FROM THE DAYS WHEN ALL THEY DID WAS TO CUT GRASS AND TO PERFORM OTHER MINOR TASKS.+

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